"John said they were only fairly wild."
"Well, even in a fairly wild state. Or indeed in a wholly tame one. My interest at any time is purely scientific and would never lead me to marry into their family circle. My wife's father, as a matter of fact, is English. A professional man, retired, and living upon a small—er—estate near Vancouver. Her mother, who died when Desire was a child, was English also."
"Who took care of the child?"
"A Chinaman." The professor was listening to Desire's distant laugh and answered absently with more truth than wisdom.
"What!" The tone of horror brought him back.
"Oh, you mean who brought her up? Her father, of course."
"You said a Chinaman."
"They had a Chinese cook."
"Scandalous! Had the child no Aunt?"
The professor sighed. "Poor girl," he said. "One of the first things she told me about herself was, 'I have no Aunt.'"